Sport Coupe Comparison: War of the Sports Car Worlds

Once upon a time, before globalism became a favorite buzzword, cars really said something about the countries that produced them. The frugality and reliability of a Honda subcompact spoke to the ingenuity and determination of post-war Japan. The power and size of a tail-finned Cadillac convertible embodied American swagger. And so on. The automobile used to be as much an expression of culture as a country's art or food.

Not anymore. It's true that cars have become better, but in the process, their national identities have faded to the point that naming their country of origin is usually little more than a matter of parts content and politics. What's more American, a Kentucky-built Toyota Camry or a Mexico-built Ford Fusion? Just as important, how do they actually differ from one another?

All of this is why we're drawn to the four coupes you see above. The established car-building countries may be in virtual lockstep when it comes to stamping out family sedans, compacts, and crossovers, but ask them to produce a premium sports car, and you get the Porsche 911 Carrera S, the Nissan GT-R, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, and, now, the Lotus Evora. Sure, these cars are delightful for the way they look, sound, and perform. But what makes them really appealing is that they're so different from one another, as distinct and vibrant as the countries that produced them. With Lotus launching its decidedly British addition to the field, we decided it was time to celebrate automotive diversity with a good old-fashioned international shoot-out.

Our day starts off at what we'd consider neutral and friendly territory - a racetrack. Gathered at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, California, are four cars that have in common a base price close to $85,000 but nothing else. We have four completely different engine configurations (flat six, V-6, twin-turbo V-6, pushrod V-8) in three different locations (front-engine, mid-engine, rear-engine), powering the rear wheels or all four wheels via manual transmissions and dual-clutch automatics. There isn't even an international agreement when it comes to turning on the ignition, with keys going to the right and left of the steering column, or nowhere at all.

Never mind the details, though; let's wring out these contenders on the tight Streets of Willow course. West Coast editor and alpha-dog driver Jason Cammisa wastes little time charging out in the red GT-R. Our 2009 Automobile of the Year is not only the quickest production car we've ever tested from the land of the rising sun, it also may be the most stridently Japanese.

Sequestered to the Japanese domestic market for its first five generations, the GT-R evolved from something of a three-quarter-scale muscle car to a singular technological tour de force. At 3939 pounds, it's far and away the largest and heaviest car here, and it lumbers to the starting line like a sumo wrestler entering the ring, groaning and creaking as if in warning of the violence that lay ahead. Throttle pinned on the opening straightaway, the twin-turbo V-6 responds with a ferocity that never ceases to be startling. Physics says the nose-heavy GT-R should understeer hilariously, and the Dunlop tires howl to that effect as it enters the first turn, but Nissan's sophisticated all-wheel-drive system shuffles power adroitly to keep the suspension balanced under throttle. The GT-R, you see, is all about putting its computerized minds over matter.

It works, as the car pulls off what would be the fastest lap of the day, at 56.5 seconds, and the highest average speed - 61.8 mph. But relying on so much technology requires a unique approach. "Getting the most out of the GT-R means trusting the electronics to sort everything out," Cammisa says, adding, "and that's a tall order given its capabilities." His wariness proves warranted, as the brake boost on our test car seems to disappear intermittently, and the GT-R has a meet-and-greet with the rocky runoff on three separate occasions. We also manage to overheat the driveline, briefly sending the 485-hp Nissan into holy-crap rear-wheel-drive mode. On the bright side, this introduces us to the wonders of lurid, Godzilla-size power slides.

With the GT-R's brake rotors still pinging and radiating heat, we decide to lose 750 pounds and climb into the Evora. Our test car is brand-new and literally just off the boat from Hethel, England, but anyone who has spent time in the Lotus Elise will instantly feel at home. Not only does it share the roadster's basic aluminum structure and mid-engine configuration, it also demonstrates the same unyielding devotion to the Lotus brand's lightweight religion. That means some compromises, even in what Lotus considers its grand tourer. The Toyota 3.5-liter V-6 nearly blocks the rearward view (thankfully, there's an optional backup camera), and the doorsills, although easier to climb over than in the Elise or the Exige, are still not for the clumsy.

This singular focus pays off at the track, where, even though it's the slowest due to having the poorest power-to-weight ratio, it's also the most consistent and most rewarding. "The teensy steering wheel and quick steering make the Lotus feel half a ton lighter than the other cars here, and the amount of feedback that reaches your hands is staggering," Cammisa says. The V-6, familiar to any Camry owner, is also a joy despite its lack of stat-sheet prowess, providing consistent, smooth thrust throughout its range. The only fly in the punch bowl is the six-speed "sports ratio" manual gearbox, which can be a bit clunky and notchy, especially when worked hard on a racetrack. Overall, the Evora is a tribute to the English ideals of simplicity and balance, and it is a car just about anyone can enjoy at its limits.

Not so for our next ride, which should probably come with a bumper sticker that reads "not to be taken lightly." There are some purists who claim that refinement and modernization, including the switch from air- to water-cooling and the development of sophisticated chassis electronics, have watered down the Porsche 911. To this we can only reply, "Just look at it." Some sixty years after postwar Porsches first emerged from the primordial ooze that is the Volkswagen Beetle, the 911 remains a beast that rewards the skilled and feasts on the foolhardy. The weight distribution of this heavily equipped, PDK-transmission Carrera S reads the same as that of the Lotus - 38/62 percent front to rear - but the feel is entirely different. Shut off all the safety nannies and lift mid-turn, and you'll find yourself with a full head of vertigo as that 3.8-liter engine hanging off the rear axle swings about. But, as Cammisa contends, "If you've read and comprehended the 911's very lengthy rule book, you'll find it will do anything you want." The rear-engine configuration keeps the back wheels planted under throttle almost as well as the all-wheel-drive GT-R, and with skillful applications of liftoff oversteer, the Porsche rounded the course about a second and a half faster than the Lotus.

Being a patriotic group, we weren't about to let these furriners run wild on our soil without providing an American alternative. Designed and conceived in the early 1950s as a response to all those fufu Jaguars and MGs that had been garnering attention on the coasts, the Corvette has consistently been Detroit's most effective import fighter simply by offering more. More power, more performance, and more noise for a bargain price. Case in point, the 430-hp base Corvette would have been the second most powerful car in this group, but the Chevy's price advantage was such that we were able to supersize the engine to 7.0 liters and still keep the base prices close. As we roll onto the track, we feel some trepidation, and with good reason. The Z06 sends more power to its rear wheels than the GT-R does to all four, and it weighs some 700 pounds less. It also sounds much, much nastier, the deceptively civil idle giving way under full throttle to a fury that road test coordinator Mike Ofiara describes as "scaryloudmake-mewannacry."

Still, most of our jitters were unfounded. Just as Porsche has managed to restrain the 911's most dangerous tendencies, so, too, have Chevy engineers relentlessly improved the Corvette. The latest batch of refinements for the 2011 Z06 comes courtesy of big-brother ZR1 and can be ordered as the Z06 Carbon Limited Edition. The new package includes carbon-ceramic brake rotors, Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires, carbon-fiber ZR1 aero and body components, and some interior tweaks. With the fatter tires, the Z06 claws tenaciously in corners, the rears breaking traction only under injudicious applications of power. The Z06 does get a bit hairy in bumpy corners, where it's easy to apply too much power and find yourself doing a noisy, smoky pirouette. Shifting is another issue, as the gas and brake pedals are poorly spaced for quick blips down into second gear and the beefy shifter makes it easy to miss the change back into third. For this reason, it's best to stay in third the entire run. And that's just fine by the brawny V-8. Even with the granny shifting, the Vette manages the second fastest lap of the group. "Given enough time, I could probably get the Z06 to lap fastest, but the GT-R's computers make it easy to get great times right out of the box," Cammisa notes.

After a full morning at the track, the cars are none the worse for the wear, but the people are all sunburned and starving. Eventually, we want to be back in Los Angeles, as we have the noble goal of parking near the beach, taking pictures, and looking fabulous, but we're in no rush to sit in traffic. So, we meander southwestward through the Angeles National Forest.

The mountainous terrain and crystal-clear blue skies we encounter don't bear much resemblance to the southeast of England, but the Lotus makes itself right at home. Like the smaller Elise, the Evora is a momentum machine through tight corners. Steering is so sharp and unfiltered that it's hard to believe there's power assist. The V-6, slightly overtaxed on the track, has more than enough power here and hums contentedly even as Ofiara, taking the lead, works second and third gears to stay near the 6400-rpm sweet spot. "Heel-and-toe shifting is a snap thanks to the tight pedal box," he reports.

Not far behind, the Porsche is also clearly in its element, its flat six howling through each blind curve. There's a wonderfully old-world feel to the steering, such that placing your hands on the wheel makes it feel as if the road is directly connected to your brain stem. All that's needed to complete this perfectly analog experience is a silky smooth Porsche manual gearbox, but we're stuck with the PDK and its anodyne and confusing steering-wheel-mounted buttons.

The GT-R is decidedly less comfortable on these roads. With the speeds here too slow for the turbos to build up steam and the road shoulder narrow to nonexistent, the GT-R feels like the big and heavy car it is. "Taking a turn in the GT-R right after the Lotus feels like going from a go-kart to a semitruck," says Ofiara. The Corvette also feels quite bulky in the narrow curvy sections, but in this case, it's more of an illusion created by the bulging fenders and ZR1-inspired hood. Once you overcome this impression of mass, the Vette is actually quite nimble. Its steering, limp and boring at low speeds, becomes nearly as good as those of the Europeans when the pace picks up and the pavement gets curvy. And with sport mode selected for the magnetic ride control - another feature newly available this year on the Z06 - the suspension stays flat through corners yet remains compliant enough to articulate over rough stretches, so long as you prudently lay off the throttle.

Alas, it's impossible to avoid the freeways forever, and soon we're facing a long slog down I-5. Now everyone's slightly less eager to take the wheel of the Lotus. It has nothing to do with the ride, which is surprisingly compliant, or the V-6, which is predictably refined and efficient. Rather, the Evora is made less livable by a handful of irrepressible British quirks. That compact pedal box, so perfect for fancy shifting, crams even the smallest of feet on the highway, and the footwell ends at the clutch pedal, leaving nowhere for your left foot. The radio and nav both work, but not at the same time. The air-conditioner, activated by one of several hard-to-read metal buttons on the center console, has difficulty keeping up with the onslaught of the afternoon sun - on a 74-degree day. Also, Lotus claims that the Evora's cabin can accommodate two six-foot, five-inch males, which is great, but it would have been nice if designers had paid more attention to those of us on the other end of the growth chart. As it is, the driver's seat stops moving forward about an inch farther from the pedals than is ideal for this writer's stubby legs. The GT-R can also be a bit tiring, as unfiltered tire noise drones through the cabin. On the bright side, it's as ergonomically sound as any Infiniti, with an excellent navigation and radio interface. We wish we could say the same for the Corvette, but its telematics feel as if they're a generation behind what General Motors is offering in its best new products. Only the 911 ranks in our mind as a perfect commuter car - which is probably why we see so many of them as we creep into Los Angeles and finally reach the coast.

The sun just beginning its descent into the Pacific, we assemble on Dockweiler Beach - and effectively run an impromptu marketing study. The GT-R draws its usual fan club of scruffy, hoodie-wearing young guys. A few middle-aged men inquire about the Evora and seem surprised to learn that it's not a Tesla. The Porsche and the Chevy? Invisible. We do manage to raise the Corvette's profile some by pulling the vacuum lines responsible for the Z06's neighbor-friendly exhaust note. The beach, already polluted with the sound of jet airplanes from nearby LAX, is now treated to the uncorked Vroom! Pop! Pop! of eight pistons and an aggressive camshaft.

So, now that we've had our fun, how do these four cars and their different flavors ultimately compare? It's complicated, to say the least. For one thing, our least favorite after we'd finished all our driving, the GT-R, happened to be the clear performance winner. Just as with the other vehicles, this comes down to a question of taste and culture. First-time visitors to Tokyo are often amazed and amused by the technology that the Japanese unleash on the simplest of tasks, from vending machines that take ten steps to deliver a perfectly poured cup of soda to heated toilet seats operated via twelve-button control pads. The GT-R takes the same complex, technologically over-the-top approach to the relatively simple task of sloshing your brain against the inside of your skull. It works wondrously on the stat sheet, but it was the least satisfying from a driver's perspective. Thus, the GT-R comes in last here.

The competition was extremely tight among the remaining three. In fact, each received at least one first-place vote from the four editors who made the trip. The bronze medal, as it were, goes to the Z06. Now in the sixth year of its sixth generation, the Corvette remains the ultimate riposte to the notion that American cars cannot compete with the best in the world. Indeed, the Chevy came within a baby's breath of defeating mighty Godzilla on the racetrack but was as engaging as the Europeans, in its own way. And it accomplishes this without sacrificing an iota of its born-in-Kentucky swagger. As GM struggles to become relevant again with American consumers, it might do well to sprinkle this sort of charisma across its lineup.

The Evora, as the newcomer to this segment, had the most to prove. Like the best British sports cars, it establishes its brilliance not on paper (although its performance numbers would be impressive among any other company) but rather through the way it makes a driver feel behind the wheel. Compared with the rest of this group, it stands out for its refreshing simplicity and purity. Of course, British sports cars also tend to be demanding, and the Evora is no different. Lotus casts it as a more practical proposition than the hard-core Elise and Exige, and that's certainly true, but the second-place Evora still demands enough sacrifices that it won't be for everyone.

That leaves the Porsche 911. Germans are supposed to be logical, practical, and unsentimental. The 911 certainly conforms with the first two - it is the most well-rounded performer here, possessing the most refined interior along with great brakes and steering feel from the gods. But it's certainly not lacking in sentiment. The fact that it's still around, and so very good, speaks to the unrelenting devotion of Porsche's engineers. The 911 should be obsolete, and yet, it's the best of a brilliant group, and our winner.

With regulations toughening and automakers squeezing their global operations for every last synergy, it's likely that the homogenization of the automobile will only accelerate. But these four cars, which are all amazingly quick and, by the way, all manage to avoid a gas-guzzler tax, prove there's still more than one way to skin a cat. Thanks to the wonderfully dissimilar products of Bowling Green, Kentucky; Zuffenhausen, Germany; Hethel, England; and Tochigi, Japan, finding a favorite sports car remains a particularly personal and exceptionally fun proposition.

TECHTONICS | Eric Tingwall
These four sports cars embrace modern technology, but they also cling to traditions established in earlier eras. These principles are central to the unique character of each coupe, and their evolving execution continually raises the performance bar.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition

THE TRADITION
A small-block V-8 with 4.4-inch bore spacing and a pushrod-operated valvetrain.

THE EXECUTION
Its origins trace back to 1955, but the LS7 uses materials and manufacturing techniques inspired by contemporary racing. The handbuilt engines use low-mass reciprocating parts like forged titanium connecting rods and titanium intake valves to allow for a 7000-rpm redline. Precision machining includes deck-plate boring, cylinder honing, and CNC-ported heads. A composite intake manifold and hydroformed steel exhaust headers keep weight down. At 7008 cubic centimeters, the LS7 boasts the largest displacement and highest power output of any normally aspirated small-block V-8 that Chevy has put into production. The thoroughly modern outcome is 505 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque.

Nissan GT-R

THE TRADITION
Since the Skyline GT-R's 1989 revival, an all-wheel-drive system worthy of a race car.

THE EXECUTION
To carry more weight over its hind quarters, the all-wheel-drive GT-R has a rear-mounted transaxle. When all four wheels have traction, the system sends 100 percent of the torque to the rear wheels. A computer continually analyzes tire slip, yaw rate, steering angle, and acceleration, among other signals, to manage when and how much torque is sent to the front wheels. A hydraulically controlled, multiplate clutch engages the second longitudinal driveshaft, allowing up to 50 percent of the torque to be directed to the front axle. An electronically controlled limited-slip differential sits between the rear wheels.

THE EXECUTION
In the early days, the hallmark 911 layout translated to nasty snap oversteer if provoked. Over the years, Porsche has dialed in a more balanced and stable chassis with more even weight distribution, vastly improved suspension systems, rear tires wider than the fronts, and the safety net of stability control. Today, the 3.8-liter flat six in the Carrera S delivers more than 100 hp per liter with direct injection and variable valve timing and lift on the intake side. For 2009, 13.2 pounds were shaved from the engine's weight and it was switched from open-deck to closed-deck construction, stiffening the block and reducing friction.

THE EXECUTION
In the shadow of the one-ton Elise, a car like the Evora can never be simple enough or light enough. Yet at 3130 pounds, the Evora is the lightest car in this test. The core of the chassis is an extruded-aluminum spaceframe bolted to an aluminum front subframe. The rear subframe and rollover hoop are made from steel for a total chassis weight of 454 pounds. Composite body panels surrounding the passenger cell are bonded (rather than bolted) to the chassis with polyurethane adhesive for additional stiffening. The result is torsional rigidity claimed to be more than 2.6 times greater than that of the Elise.

The Evora's interior is certainly a leap forward from the utilitarian Elise and Exige, but it sometimes falls short on practicality, comfort, and luggage space compared with the rest of this group. All is forgiven, though, on the right stretch of winding road.

The Porsche's posh interior is the only one here that won't make you think twice before offering the boss a ride to work. Our 911's brakes weren't of the optional - and supremely costly - carbon-ceramic variety but still impressed us with their ease of modulation and resistance to fading.

The production-spec Z06 Carbon (ours was a development mule) will come with blacked-out exterior trim as well as a suede-intensive interior. But what really matters to us are the ZR1-spec carbon-ceramic brake rotors, which helped the Z06 stop the shortest in our tests.

The GT-R's cabin is not for troglodytes, what with its video-game-inspired, multifunction display screen. But under all the boy-racer charm lies Infiniti-like, quality materials. The brakes grip hard most of the time but on a few occasions at the track decided not to grab at all.

Originally slated to begin production in early 2010, a GM spokesman has confirmed that the Chevrolet Camaro has been pushed back to the first quarter of 2011.Some had speculated that the Camaro convertible would be shelved altogether given GM's current economic woes.

To help celebrate the 45th anniversary of the first Shelby Mustang, Shelby American revealed its new 2011 Mustang GT350 at the opening night gala of Barrett-Jackson's auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.Based on the 2011 Mustang GT, all GT350s will add a supercharger to Ford's new 5.0-liter V-8.

January 19, 2010

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